Electric switch



- E. C. BROWN 7 ELECTRIC SWITCH Aug. 26, 1941.

Filed Aug. 12, 1940 INVENTOR [1 5/2577 6. BROWN BY X ATTORNEY PatentedAug. 26, 1941 Everett C. Brown, Louisville,v Ky.,, assignor to CheathamElectric. Switching Device 00., Incorporated, Louisville, Ky, acorporation of Kentucky ApplicationAugust 12, 1940, Serial No. 352,189,

' :(cn. zoo-151') 4 Claims.

My invention relates to. manually operating electric switches.

An object of my invention is to provide a switch cident to theinterruption of currents of the" above designated class flowing throughsaid points and thereby provide an electric switch that will bedependable over a long period of service and one that can be readilyserviced inthe event either mechanical failure" or electrical erosiondevelops.

Another object is to mount an arc splitting shield directly on the mainoperating lever and dispose it for travel between the contact points ofthe switch, instantly upon the separation thereof.

A further object is to provide a switch having a main arm that can bemanually operated from a rest position for effecting engagement ofelectrical contacts and then released from substantially any operatedposition for an automatic return to the normal rest position and consumea substantially uniform period of time independently of the speed withwhich the actuating lever is manually operated before release.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination andarrangement of the various parts hereinafter fully described anddisclosed in the drawing.

In the drawing accompanying the specification:

Figure l is a plan View of my electric switch, complete, except the endof the hand grip is not shown;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section of Figure 2 along lines 3-3;

Figure 4 is a section of Figure 2 along lines 4-4;

Figure 5 is a section of Figure 2 along lines 55.

In the preferred construction embodying my invention, I employ a basemember composed of an insulating material designated by numeral l0.Secured to the base in vertical arrangement thereto is stationarycontact post II on the top of which is permanently fixed contact l2 ofarc resisting material; also attached in vertical relation. to the baseby" nut I3 is stud [4, which stud provides a bearing for the mainoperating lever ii of insulating material, such as hardwood.

Across shaft 2|: extends through a hole in stud l4 adjacent the upperend thereof and secured therein by screw 22, the latter also securescross bar 23 and terminal 24. Pivoted on shaft 2| are the hubs 25A, 25Bof arm 25, on this arm is mounted contact26 so as to register withcontact I2. Arm 25 can be oscillated from the normally open position,shown by the full lines, to the closed position as shown by the brokenlines. Springs 25C25D- surround hubs 25A, 25B respectively, and serve tobias arm 25 to the closed position, also" to retain roller 25E againstcam track 29 except when contact 26 is engaged with contact [2 for shortperiods of time when lever I5 is moved from the normal position to theoperated or broken line position. The roller is mounted on shaft 21,which shaft in turn extends through arm 25 as shown in Figs. 2 and 5,and is located for engagement with and operated by cam track 29, whichtrack is an integral part of cam plate 28, the latter is attached tolever l5. It can be noted from Figures 1, 3 and 5, that cam plate 28 iscarried by lever I5, and is mounted on the arc splitter 30 and that bothof these members are secured to the lever by screws 3| and nuts 32.

The stud has an enlarged section MA around which is lodged aconventional double acting centering spring l6 having ends l1, l8disposed in substantially the same plane for engagement with lug l9carried on the bottom face of the lever, also for engagement with lug 20attached to the base. This spring is manipulated by and functions toretain lever [5 in the normal position shown by the full lines inFigures 1 and 2, also to return said lever to this position after it hasbeen manually operated to the position indicated by dotted lines andreleased as shown in Figure 1. It should be noted that as lever I5 ismanually moved from the full line position to the dotted line positionlug l9 carries spring end I! with it and places spring l6 under tensionand that, upon release of arm H) by the operator, the force stored -inthe spring will produce an overthrow of the arm in the oppositedirection, and that as the arm reaches the central or vertical position,lug l9 engages spring end l8 and leaves end I! engaged with lug 20, thusabsorbing the force of the arm. Spring l6 finally brings arm l5 to therest position as shown by the full lines of Figures 1 and 2.

Although the foregoing description and drawing disclose a preferredembodiment of my invention, modifications can be made without departingfrom the spirit of this invention, therefore I wish to be limited onlyby the claims presented herewith.

I claim:

1. A manually operated switch, comprising in combination, a base; a pairof posts mounted on said base in vertical relation thereto; a stationarycontact mounted on one of said posts; a contact arm having a contactmounted thereon for engagement with and normally out of engagement withthe stationary contact and pivotally mounted on a shaft traverselyattached adjacent the top of the other post; a spring operablyassociated with said other post and said arm for biasing the latter forefiecting engagement of the contacts; an operating lever pivotallymounted on the said other post; means mounted on said lever for raisingsaid arm against said spring for effecting separation of said contactsand an arc splitting shield mounted on said lever and disposed formovement between said contacts only when said contacts are separated.

2. A manually operated switch, comprising in combination, a base; a pairof posts mounted on said base in vertical relation thereto; a stationarycontact mounted on one of said posts; a contact arm having a contactmounted thereon for engagement with and normally out of engagement withthe stationary contact and pivotally mounted on a shaft traverselyattached adjacent the top of the other post; a spring for biasing saidarm the latter for effecting engagement of the contacts; an operatinglever pivotally mounted on the said other post; means mounted on saidlever for raising said arm against said spring for effecting separationof said contacts and an arc splitting shield mounted on said lever anddisposed for movement between said contacts only when said contacts areseparated.

3. A manually operated switch, comprising in combination, a frame; acontact post and a pivot post on said frame; a stationary contactmounted on one of said posts; a contact arm having a contact in registerwith and normally out of engagement with the stationary contact andpivotally mounted on the other of said posts; a spring operablyassociated with said arm for biasing the contact thereof for engagementwith the stationary contact; an operating lever pivotally mounted on thepivot post; means mounted on said lever for raising said arm againstsaid spring for effecting separation of said contacts; an arc splittingshield mounted on said lever and disposed for movement between saidcontacts, and a spring surrounding the stationary post, said springhaving arms engaging stops, one of the latter mounted on the operatinglever and the other stop attached to the frame.

4. A manually operated switch, comprising in combination; a base; astationary contact mounted thereon; a shaft mounted on said base invertical relation thereto; a contact arm pivotally mounted on said shaftand equipped with a contact for engagement with the stationary contact;a spring operably associated with and biasing said arm for engagement ofthe contact thereon with the other contact; an operating lever pivotallymounted on said shaft for operating said arm; means operativelyassociated with said lever for raising said arm against the force ofsaid spring for eifecting and retaining separation of said contacts whensaid lever is at rest and for releasing said arm for closing saidcontacts in response to the force of said spring, upon operation of saidlever from said rest position.

EVERETT C. BROWN.

